Shillong, Sep 25 Amid a major political realignment in Meghalaya, UDP MLA Paul Lyngdoh on Friday said the regional party could soon be left with only one legislator and disclosed that he was consulting supporters on the next political course.
Paul is among the four MLAs who are still with the parent party.
Lyngdoh, who represents West Shillong, said he was not surprised by the decision of the eight MLAs to join the BJP and indicated that the exodus from the regional party may not be over.
“The signs indicate that there are MLAs who may leave for other parties,” he said.
Lyngdoh also criticised the UDP leadership for allegedly refusing to acknowledge growing dissatisfaction within the party.
“I have spoken many times within the party that there is a lot of dissatisfaction with the way it is functioning. What is unfortunate is that the leader simply denies it. They keep denying that there is anything wrong,” he said.
Pointing to the party’s declining strength, Lyngdoh said the UDP had held 12 of the 36 Assembly seats in the Khasi-Jaintia region three years ago but now had only four, with the possibility of being reduced further.
“And even among these four, there are signs that it could soon be reduced to just one,” he said.
Asked about reports that he was planning to join the BJP, Lyngdoh said he was consulting his supporters in the West Shillong constituency before deciding his next political move.
“I am at a stage where I am consulting and seeking the views of my supporters in the UDP’s West Shillong constituency because the party may be left with only one or two MLAs. Therefore, we have to decide what we should do going forward,” he said.
The eight UDP MLAs joined the BJP earlier this week, taking the saffron party’s strength in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly from 2 to 10 and leaving the UDP with four legislators.
(PTI News)
